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Florida takes advantage of gap in blueberry market

When you think of Florida fruit, oranges, grapefruit and strawberries
come to mind. But blueberries?

Hundreds of small blueberry farms have opened in the Sunshine State in
the past three decades, and blueberry production has increased more
than tenfold in the past decade. The farmers hope to capitalize on
their climate by providing fresh blueberries when their competitors in
the North can't. Florida produces only a fraction of the blueberries
that industry leader Michigan does, but from mid-March to mid-April,
its farmers dominate the market.

"It's just unbelievable how this thing has changed," said Ken
Patterson, who owns the Island Grove Farm, one of Florida's oldest
blueberry farms. "Twenty years ago, when we held a Florida Blueberry
Growers Association meeting we'd have 40 to 50 people at a good
meeting. In November, we expect 400 people there."

Read more: 
http://lacrossetribune.com/news/national/article_133e5966-1c8a-5a2a-ad74-e5e0c161554a.htm